Heat exchange and ventilating system



Jan. 20, 1942. c. E. MEYERHOEFER HEAT EXCHANGE AND VENTILATING SYSTEM 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1938 INVENTOR Far! 'Meye Iraq-'e BY. i mn w ATTORNEYS 'llmlllll'llllllllllll Illu Fmmmnlh..

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Jan. 20, 1 942.-V c. E. MEyERHoEr-'ER 2,270,823

HEAT EXCHANGE AND 'VENTILATINQ SYSTEM Filed nec. 9, 1933 s sheets-sheet 2.

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fvZ/if v Arronnsvs Jan. 20, 1942. c. E. MEYERHOEFER HEATv EXCHANGE AND VENTIILATING SYSATEM Filed Dc. 9, 1938 3 Sheetg-Sheet 3 INVENTOR (all faz/m AITTORNEYS Patented Jan. 20, 1942 naar ExonANGE AND vEN'rr'LA'rm sYsrnM Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to E. A. Laboratories, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York 4 Claims.` This invention relates to a structurally and Vfunctionally improved heat exchange and ventilating system capable of use in numerous different associations-but primarily intended to be employed in connection with spaces of relatively conned area, such as are present in the enclosed body of a motor vehicle.

It is an object of `the invention to furnish a unit of this character and which may be built into a vehicle at the time of Imanufacture of the latter, or which may be applied with facility to an heretofore constructed vehicle.

A further object of the invention is that of constructing an apparatus of this nature which will embody an improved series of controls such that the iiow of air may be controlled with facility aside from the fact that an operator-to effect such-controlneed not be especially skillful.

Another object is thatof providing a heat exchange apparatus and a system which will embody relatively few parts, each individually simple and rugged in construction and operating over long periods of time with freedom from all dimculties.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to theA attached sheets of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. lis a sectional plan view taken through the casing of the apparatus and showing the parts contained therein in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the apparatus with certain parts broken away to disclose underlying construction;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines I3 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. Z;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the unit as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, are sectional side views of. a somewhat diagrammatic nature and illus,-

trating the'various alternative forms lof flow .heating the interior of a space. Usually however, the present form of apparatus will-be cou- Application December 9, 1938, Serial No. 244,7@

motor vehicle and thus serve to heat air which may be distributed as hereinafter brought out.

Thus, referring primarily to Figs. 1 w 5 inclusive, the numeral l indicates a core and heat assembly which may be of. any desired construction s o long as interstices are present and through which the air may flow in heat exchange relationship. This core is connected by tubes Il with, for example, the cooling system of a motor; i0- this method of coupling being well understood by those skilled in the artv and, therefore. not rel quiring any detailed description. At the rear of the core,. a motor l2 is provided and this motor serves to drive a blower wheel I3 as well as a fan l5 I4. In the interests of furnishing a compact structure, the blower wheel may be spaced from and concentrically disposed with respect to the motor casing and-the latter is connected to'a source of current supply. By means of a switch v(not shown), but which may be in the nature of a variable or tapped'resistance with cut-off and which, for a purpose hereinafter brought out, will preferably embody a reversing structure, the polarity of the motor I2 may be reversed so as to cause the latter to be driven in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The blower wheel is encircled by a casing l from which a duct I6 extends, the latter being coupled to,for example, a Y-shaped fitting I1, to the arms of which tubes lil are connected. These tubes may extend to a point adjacent the windshield orlthe rear compartment of the vehicle, or may be otherwise disposed as may be most convenient, but in accordance with con- :;5 ventional construction it is preferred that a valve i9 be furnished to permit the flow of air through either or both of the tubes. 'I'he fan I4 is encircled by a shroud platev 2! and the latter may be supported upon posts 2| which form a part 40 of a `shell enclosing the core and associated structure.

While this shell may take numerous diierent forms, it is preferred that it include a pair'of I sections 22 and 23. The latter is furnished with 45.,openings through which bolts 2l may Apass for .the purpose of anchoring the apparatus to the "dash or other suitable supporting structure. This section also provides openings for the pas- .sage of tubes I I and duct it. Sections 22 and im" 23 are secured against movement as, for example, by bolts 2l. and the rst section is provided with an opening in line with the face of the core.

A louvre or'shutter structure is preferably associated with the latter opening and if such a pied to, for example. the cooling system of the 5 5 Astructure isemployed. it preferably should be in the nature of that illustrated in Figs. l to ll. Thus, it will be seen that the numeral 26 indicates a housing preferably extended rearwardly adjacent its top and bottom edges and providing openingsrZl at its sides. The rearwardly extending portions as especially shown' in Figs. l and 2, may be continued in the form of projections 29 presenting ribs 30 inY their upper faces.. These ribs extend into grooves forming parts of brackets 3I and mounted by the shell section 22,

a spring 32 being preferablyassociated with they upper assemblies and interposed between the projections and brackets so as to prevent any position and retaining such position.

The housing I enclosing the blower vrheelis furnished with an air controlling structure preferably in each of its side faces. While this structure may be o any desired type, it preferably includes an annular series of openings 31 in the rear and front walls of the casing, and which 4openings are overlain by damper plates 38 and 39 respectively. A control lever 49 may be pivotally secured by amr suitable supporting structure such as the shroud plate 29, and is coupled to a forked bracket 4I, one arm of which is secured to the' damper 39, while the other arm is coupled to damper 38. 'Ihe openings in the front and rear walls of -housing `I5 and the dampers associated therewith are so correlated that when the openings in one face areclosed,

the openings in the other are open. It follows that if lever 49 extends beyond the shell as shown in Fig. l, an operator^ by simply. swinging this element may alternately close the frontI onrear faces of the blower wheel housing.

Preferably the rear shell section 23 also encloses vthe sides of the motor and is furnished with side openings 42 through which air may flow, and is moreover furnished with an opening 43 to which a duct 44 may be coupled. This duct may connect with the cool ventilator or may otherwise communicatewlth the outer air. A valve 45 is conveniently located within this duct and serves tov prevent or permit a flow of air thrilugh the same and to the interior of the she Y Consideringnow the operation of the mechanism, attention is invited to Fig. 6* in which the motor is driving the fan ina direction such Vthat the latter operatesefficiently. -In other words, the blades of the fan are curved so that with a given rotation of the fan, an air flow of maximum volume and/or velocitywill occur, while if a reverse rotation was resorted to, a

\ lesser volume and/or velocity will occur. The

rst named condition is presentin this ligure.A i

AThe air so drawn will enter, for example, through openings 42 and b distributed outwardly through the space intervening shell 26 and shell 22, as well as between the louvres. This will heat the interior of the compartment within which the unit is disposed, it being, of course,

understood that if shell 26 yis shifted inwardly to the lposition shown in Figs. 8 and 9, that air 75 will nevertheless be distributedso long as the louvres 34 are opened. Under either of these circumstances it is to be understood 'that the blower wheel I3 will be running in a reverse direction so that only a minimum amount of air will be drawn through the openings of damper 39 and distributed through duct it.

In Fig. 'l it is 'assumed that the direction of rotation of the motor has been reversed. Under this circumstance, the fan is operating relatively l shell 26 may be projected or retracted as de-v I slred in that sufficient air will pass between the,

louvres 34 should shell 26 be so retracted.

In Fig. 8 it is to be assumed that the fan and blower wheel are driven in the samedirection as that specified in Fig. 7. However, in this view the damper 39 has been closed and the damper 38 opened. Moreover, the shutters 3ft. have been'closed and the shell 26 has been retracted. Under these circumstances, the air supplied to -the blower wheel will not pass through the core I0 but will rather ow from the ex terior of the shell sections 'to the interior of the same, and thence be distributed. In view of the fact that the fan I4 does not create high velocities and pressure differentials, the amount of air owing through the core, under these circumstances. will be negligible, or in fact may cease altogether. .Howeven should the shutters 34 be opened, a relatively small amount of air will be impelled by the fan through the core and distributed through the openings 4 2.

Now, considering the condition illustrated in Fig. 9, it will be o bserved that the same operation as that described in Fig. 7 occurs, excepting that shutters 34 and shel126 have been moved to their closed positions. Thus, air will not be distributed by fan I4, but itis found that the air-seepage occurring between the adiacent edges of the shutters and the shell sections is adequate to supply air in sumcient volume to the blower wheel -to permit of a steady flow through duct I6 and Reviewing the several functions of the apparatus. it will be Aunderstood that the condition set forth in Fig. 6 assures an eiiicient heating of :the ,space within which the unit is disposed.

through openings 42 and warm air will be supy plied to the blower wheel so that defrosting and similar operations may be achieved with maximum emciency.

In both of the foregoing views as well as in Fig. 8, the valve 45 has been shown in open position. It will be appreciated that this need not necessarily be the case, in that if the valve is closed, all air moved by the impellingfm'eans will simply iow through the shell by way of the openings 42 and the core. However, should valve 4t be partially or wholly opened, a lcertain amount of fresh air will be supplied to th'e blower wheel and fan under the circumstances depicted in Fig. 6', while under the conditions illustrated in Fig. 7, substantially all 'of the fresh air will be expelled through openings I2 into the compartment or interior of the vehicle.

Now, in Fig. 8 with valve 45 opened, the maximum amount of air distributed through the blower wheel will be fresh air and even a certain faces and dampers connected to said casing and amount of the air impelled by'fan I4 may be f fresh air. This is a condition which is especially desirable when it is primarily sought to dis' tribute unheated fresh air throughout a given space. Where air flow in thisdirection occurs,

\ it will, of course, be understood that due to the fact that the forward face of the casing I5 is preferably somewhat inclined, it will serve to assist in a diversion of air by the fan I4 the openings 42.

Finally, referring to Fig. 9, it will be understood thatthe condition therein shown is one which is preferably resorted to where the windshield or other portions of` thevvehicle, are to be supplied with warm air, but where it is not desired to generally heat the interior of the vehicle. -Of course, the control may be further modified especially' with reference to the flow of towards heated air incident to the fact that the core may the invention as dened by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as neva and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: 1. An apparatusv of the character described including in combination a core to receive fluid and presenting interstices for the flow of air,

a fan disposed adjacent said core,1a blower wheel coupled tossaid fan land also disposed adjacent said core, ashell enclosing said core and fan and blower wheel, said shell being formed with inlet and outlet openings through which air may flow, an auxiliary fresh air opening associated with said shell; valve means carried by said shell adjacent; said auxiliary opening for rendering the ,Y same inoperative, means for rotating said wheel and fan in'either direction, said wheel and fan being so designed that rotation thereof in either direction will draw fresh air into the interior of said shell when said valve means is in open position, a casing enclosing said blowerwheel and formed with inlet openings in its opposite side co controlling the flow of air through said openings `to said blower wheel when the latter is in motion.

,2. An apparatus of `the character described including in combination a core to receive uid and presenting interstices for the flow of air, a fan disposed adjacent said core, a blower wheel coupled to said fan and also disposed adjacent said core, a shell enclosing said core and fan and blower wheel, said shell being formed with inlet and outlet openings through whichair may flow, an auxiliary fresh air opening associated with said shell, valve means carried by said shell adjacent said auxiliary opening for rendering the same inoperative, means for rotating said wheel and fan in either direction, said wheel and fan being so designed that rotation thereof in either direction will draw fresh air through said auxiliary opening into the interior of said shell when said, valve means is in open position, supplementary damper means associated with the inlet openings in said `shell whereby said fan and blower wheel may be supplied with fresh air when said fresh air valve is open and said supplementary damper closed and with recirculated air when said fresh air valve is closed andlv said supplementary damper open. y

3. In a heater of the class described, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a housing having a front wall and two rearwardly extending walls, said latter walls mounted for telescopic movement within said casing opening, whereby said front wall can be spaced from or caused to completely obstruct said opening, and louvres vcarried by said front wall, said louvres being shiftable to allow or obstruct air-flow through said front wall.

v4. An apparatus of the character described including in combination a core to receive fluid and presenting interstices for the iiow of air, a fan disposed adjacent said core, a blower wheel coupled to saidfan and also vdisposed adjacent said core, a'shell enclosing said core and fan, a housing for said wheel, said shell being formed with an outlet opening through which air may ilow and also an auxiliary fresh air opening, valve means carried by said shell adjacent said auxiliary opening for preventing a flow of air therethrough, means for rotating said wheel and fan in either direction, said wheel and fan being so designed that rotation thereof in either direction will draw freshair through said auxiliary opening into the interior of said^` shell when said valve means is in open position and dampers carried by said blower wheel housing and 'ad-- justable to admit fresh air to said housing when said wheel is moving in one predetermined di-` rection only.

CARL E. MEYERHOEFER. 

